Microstrip antenna system and method

Abstract

A microstrip antenna system and a method for communicating a dual polarized signal in the microstrip antenna system, is provided. An embodiment of the microstrip antenna system includes a stripline feed circuit (SFC) located in an SFC layer. The SFC layer lies between an upper stripline substrate and a lower stripline substrate. A lower ground plane lies below the lower stripline substrate. An upper ground plane lies above the upper stripline substrate. The embodiment reduces backward radiation.

Therefore, having thus described the invention, at least the following is claimed:  
     
       1. A microstrip antenna system, comprising: 
       a lower stripline substrate;  
       an upper stripline substrate;  
       a stripline feed circuit layer located between the lower stripline substrate and the upper stripline substrate;  
       a lower ground plane located below the lower stripline substrate; and  
       an upper ground plane located above the upper stripline substrate, wherein the microstrip antenna system reduces backward radiation, and wherein the upper ground plane comprises a first slot, a second slot, a third slot, and a fourth slot to allow dual polarization of a signal, the second slot located in a clockwise direction and orthogonal to the first slot, the third slot located in a clockwise direction and orthogonal to the second slot, and the fourth slot located in a clockwise direction and orthogonal to the third slot.  
     
     
       2. The microstrip antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein the upper ground plane comprises a first slot, a second slot, a third slot, and a fourth slot to allow dual polarization of a signal, the second slot located in a clockwise direction and orthogonal to the first slot, the third slot located in a clockwise direction and orthogonal to the second slot, and the fourth slot located in a clockwise direction and orthogonal to the third slot. 
     
     
       3. The microstrip antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein a lower microstrip substrate is located above the upper ground plane, a lower microstrip patch antenna is located above the lower microstrip substrate, the lower microstrip patch antenna is a first resonant structure, and the lower microstrip substrate and the upper ground plane improve efficiency of the lower microstrip patch antenna. 
     
     
       4. The microstrip antenna system of  claim 3 , wherein an upper microstrip substrate is located above the lower microstrip patch antenna, an upper microstrip patch antenna is located above the upper microstrip substrate, the upper microstrip patch antenna is a second resonant structure, and the upper microstrip substrate improves efficiency of the upper microstrip patch antenna. 
     
     
       5. The microstrip antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein a lower microstrip substrate is located above the upper ground plane, a lower microstrip patch antenna is located above the lower microstrip substrate, an upper microstrip substrate is located above the lower microstrip patch antenna, an upper microstrip patch antenna is located above the upper microstrip substrate, the lower microstrip patch antenna is a first resonant structure, the upper microstrip patch antenna is a second resonant structure, and the upper ground plane, the lower microstrip substrate, and the upper microstrip substrate improves efficiency of the lower and the upper microstrip patch antennas. 
     
     
       6. The microstrip antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein the upper stripline substrate has a different thickness than the lower stripline substrate. 
     
     
       7. The microstrip antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein the upper stripline substrate is less thick than the lower stripline substrate. 
     
     
       8. The microstrip antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein, the upper stripline substrate has same thickness as the lower stripline substrate. 
     
     
       9. The microstrip antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein the upper stripline substrate has a different dielectric constant than the lower stripline substrate. 
     
     
       10. The microstrip antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein the upper stripline substrate has same dielectric constant as that of the lower stripline substrate. 
     
     
       11. A method for communicating a dual polarized signal in a microstrip antenna system, comprising the steps of: 
       feeding the dual polarized signal from a stripline feed circuit layer to an upper stripline substrate; and  
       propagating the dual polarized signal from the upper stripline substrate to an upper ground plane, wherein the stripline feed circuit layer is located between the upper stripline substrate and a lower stripline substrate, the upper ground plane is located above the upper stripline substrate, and a lower ground plane is located below the lower stripline substrate, wherein the upper ground plane has a first slot, a second slot, a third slot, and a fourth slot, and wherein the second slot is located orthogonal to and in a clockwise direction of the first slot, the third slot is located orthogonal to and in a clockwise direction of the second slot, and the fourth slot is located orthogonal to and in a clockwise direction of the third slot.  
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the upper ground plane has a first slot, a second slot, a third slot, and a fourth slot, wherein the second slot is located orthogonal to and in a clockwise direction of the first slot, the third slot is located orthogonal to and in a clockwise direction of the second slot, and the fourth slot is located orthogonal to and in a clockwise direction of the third slot. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of: 
       communicating the dual polarized signal from the upper ground plane to a lower microstrip substrate that is located above the upper ground plane, and further communicating the dual polarized signal from the lower microstrip substrate to a lower microstrip patch antenna located above the lower microstrip substrate.  
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the steps of 
       communicating the dual polarized signal from the lower microstrip patch antenna to an upper microstrip substrate that is located above the lower microstrip patch antenna, and further communicating the dual polarized signal from the upper microstrip substrate to an upper microstrip patch antenna located above the upper microstrip substrate.  
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the stripline feed circuit layer is located between the upper stripline substrate and a lower stripline substrate, the upper ground plane is located above the upper stripline substrate, and a lower ground plane is located below the lower stripline substrate. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the upper stripline substrate has a different thickness than the lower stripline substrate. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the upper stripline substrate is less thick than the lower stripline substrate. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the upper stripline substrate has same thickness as the lower stripline substrate. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the lower stripline substrate has a different dielectric constant than the upper stripline substrate. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the lower stripline substrate has same dielectric constant as the upper stripline substrate. 
     
     
       21. A method for communicating a dual polarized signal in a microstrip antenna system, comprising the steps of: 
       receiving a dual polarized signal in an upper ground plane;  
       propagating the dual polarized signal from the upper ground plane to an upper stripline substrate that is located below the upper ground plane; and  
       further propagating the dual polarized signal from the upper stripline substrate to a stripline feed circuit layer, wherein the stripline feed circuit layer is centered above a lower stripline substrate, the lower stripline substrate located above a lower ground plane, wherein the upper ground plane has a first slot, a second slot, a third slot, and a fourth slot, and wherein the second slot is located orthogonal to and in a clockwise direction of the first slot, the third slot is located orthogonal to and in a clockwise direction of the second slot, and the fourth slot is located orthogonal to and in a clockwise direction of the third slot.  
     
     
       22. A microstrip antenna system, comprising: 
       means for feeding a dual polarized signal from a stripline feed circuit layer to an upper stripline substrate; and  
       means for propagating the dual polarized signal from the upper stripline substrate to an upper ground plane, wherein the stripline feed circuit layer is located between the upper stripline substrate and a lower stripline substrate, the upper ground plane located above the upper stripline substrate, and a lower ground plane located below the lower stripline substrate, wherein the upper ground plane has a first slot, a second slot, a third slot, and a fourth slot, the second slot being located orthogonal to and in a clockwise direction of the first slot, the third slot being located orthogonal to and in a clockwise direction of the second slot, and the fourth slot being located orthogonal to and in a clockwise direction of the third slot.  
     
     
       23. The microstrip antenna system of  claim 22 , wherein the upper ground plane has a first slot, a second slot, a third slot, and a fourth slot, the second slot being located orthogonal to and in a clockwise direction of the first slot, the third slot being located orthogonal to and in a clockwise direction of the second slot, and the fourth slot being located orthogonal to and in a clock-wise direction of the third slot. 
     
     
       24. The microstrip antenna system of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
       means for communicating the dual polarized signal from the upper ground plane to a lower microstrip substrate that is located above the upper ground plane; and  
       means for further communicating the dual polarized signal from the lower microstrip substrate to a lower microstrip patch antenna located above the lower microstrip substrate.  
     
     
       25. The microstrip antenna system of  claim 24 , further comprising: 
       means for communicating the dual polarized signal from the lower microstrip patch antenna to an upper microstrip substrate located above the lower microstrip patch antenna; and  
       means for further communicating the dual polarized signal from the upper microstrip substrate to an upper microstrip patch antenna located above the upper microstrip substrate.  
     
     
       26. The microstrip antenna system of  claim 22 , wherein the upper stripline substrate has a different thickness than the lower stripline substrate. 
     
     
       27. The microstrip antenna system, of  claim 22 , wherein the upper stripline substrate is less thick than the lower stripline substrate. 
     
     
       28. The microstrip antenna system of  claim 22 , wherein the upper stripline substrate has same thickness as the lower stripline substrate. 
     
     
       29. The microstrip antenna system, of  claim 22 , wherein the lower stripline substrate has a different dielectric constant than the upper stripline substrate. 
     
     
       30. The microstrip antenna system of  claim 22 , wherein the lower stripline substrate has same dielectric constant as the upper stripline substrate. 
     
     
       31. A microstrip antenna system, comprising: 
       means for receiving a dual polarized signal in an upper ground plane;  
       means for propagating the dual polarized signal from the upper ground plane to an upper stripline substrate that is located below the upper ground plane; and  
       means for further propagating the dual polarized signal from the upper stripline substrate to a stripline feed circuit layer, wherein the stripline feed circuit layer is centered above a lower stripline substrate, and the lower stripline substrate is located above a lower ground plane, wherein the upper ground plane has a first slot, a second slot, a third slot, and a fourth slot, the second slot being located orthogonal to and in a clockwise direction of the first slot, the third slot being located orthogonal to and in a clockwise direction of the second slot, and the fourth slot being located orthogonal to and in a clockwise direction of the third slot.